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Jack lo Squartatore: La vera storia
Londra, autunno 1888. Nei bassifondi dell’East End, tra vicoli fangosi e catapecchie sbilenche, tra le urla degli ubriachi e i richiami delle prostitute, si aggira Jack the Ripper, lo Squartatore. Così lo chiamano gli strilloni dell’“Evening News” o dello “Standard” che si contendono i clienti agli angoli delle strade. In città non si parla d’altro. In poco più di due mesi, tra il 31 agosto e il 9 novembre, sono cinque le donne uccise e orribilmente mutilate dal suo coltello. A centotrent’anni di distanza, l’identità dell’autore di quegli omicidi rimane il grande mistero vittoriano. Quel che è certo, invece, è che Jack lo Squartatore fu molto di più di un semplice assassino. Secondo Paul Begg, uno dei massimi esperti in materia, possiamo addirittura considerarlo uno dei creatori della Londra moderna: una città che in quell’epoca traboccava di miserie e brutture di ogni tipo, denunciate sui giornali da un grande scrittore come George Bernard Shaw, ma ignorate con sufficienza dall’opinione pubblica britannica. Almeno fino ai delitti dello Squartatore, che ebbero una straordinaria risonanza mediatica, influenzando i mutamenti urbani degli anni successivi. In questa ricostruzione appassionante e documentata, grazie a una vivida descrizione degli ambienti ci immergiamo tra quei vicoli e incontriamo da vicino le vittime di Jack, i detective che gli hanno dato la caccia, i presunti colpevoli, moltiplicatisi ben presto alimentando le più svariate – e spesso fantasiose – teorie: dallo straccione al gentiluomo, dal pittore di fama al membro della famiglia reale, passando per avvocati, parrucchieri, ciarlatani, chirurghi. E attraverso l’analisi approfondita di archivi della polizia, relazioni alla camera dei Lord, carteggi inediti tra gli investigatori, ma soprattutto degli articoli di giornale del periodo, scopriamo che nella Londra vittoriana il potere della stampa, soprattutto quella popolare, era enorme. Al punto da contribuire in maniera decisiva alla creazione di una delle figure popolari più spaventose e longeve di tutti i tempi: l’archetipo del moderno serial killer.
«Il racconto più chiaro, preciso e aggiornato sui delitti dello squartatore, da parte di uno dei maggiori studiosi di quell’autunno di terrore nella Londra vittoriana» - William D. Rubinstein, professore di Storia moderna all’Università del Galles
«Il racconto più chiaro, preciso e aggiornato sui delitti dello squartatore, da parte di uno dei maggiori studiosi di quell’autunno di terrore nella Londra vittoriana» - William D. Rubinstein, professore di Storia moderna all’Università del Galles
474 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2002
12 people are currently reading
494 people want to read
About the author
Paul Begg
21 books27 followersPaul Begg is acknowledged worldwide as one of the leading authorities on the Jack the Ripper mystery. He has worked in newspapers, television and publishing. He has written extensively on Jack the Ripper, including Jack the Ripper: The Uncensored Facts, Jack the Ripper: The Definitive History and Jack the Ripper: The Facts. He is also the author of Into Thin Air, The Scotland Yard Files and Mary Celeste: The Greatest Mystery of the Sea. Paul was formerly the editor of the Ripperologist magazine and has appeared as an historical advisor on several television programmes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
February 16, 2021
(A-) 80% | Very Good
Notes: A sometimes awkward and tangential contextual history, it nonetheless offers a new lens to view a worn-out subject.
Notes: A sometimes awkward and tangential contextual history, it nonetheless offers a new lens to view a worn-out subject.
August 10, 2012
Begg's history is, beyond a doubt, definitive. It covers not only the five canonical Ripper murders in detail, but also the two earlier ones —Emma Smith and Martha Tabram — with which the police Ripper file begins. Begg does not follow all the murders in said file, which ends with the murder of Frances Coles in 1891, but rather, ends with the vivisection of Mary Ann Kelly, then concludes with two chapters of speculation concerning the Ripper's identity. It is at this point that Begg's book transcends the typical Ripper text, since Begg argues up front that this mystery will most likely never be solved. He investigates the theories extant at the time and subsequent theories of the Ripper's identity, showing both the likelihood and unlikelihood of all suspects. The text provides a solid historical description of the milieu in which the murders occurred drawing almost exclusively from primary sources. Chapters describing the East End (particularly Whitechapel and Spitalfields), the politics of the era, prostitution in England in the nineteenth century, and the state of the media are well drawn and effective. This is the best book I have ever read on the Ripper —and I have read many.
June 9, 2021
4.5 ⭐️
Il libro è molto interessante e molto inquietante. Penso non leggerò altro sull’argomento, ho avuto fin troppe informazioni. Sull’inizio si perdeva un po’ in fatti “secondari”, ma alla fine va dritto al punto.
Il libro è molto interessante e molto inquietante. Penso non leggerò altro sull’argomento, ho avuto fin troppe informazioni. Sull’inizio si perdeva un po’ in fatti “secondari”, ma alla fine va dritto al punto.
June 30, 2011
E ben, sono in ferie. Giorno uno di ferie, libri due finiti. Però ho anche pulito la casa, quindi la coscienza (pure quella) è pulita. E questo è un altro dei tomi che servono in vista del giro a Londra, gentilmente prestatomi da chi viene con me, ma non aveva voglia di finirlo. Non è malaccio e questo Begg si è sicuramente dato da fare un sacco per stanare tutti i resoconti della polizia, i referti medici, gli articoli di giornale. Solo che è un po' asettico, leggermente pedante e fin troppo ricco di particolari. Il picco dell'interessante sono le foto al centro, nelle quali si ritraggono le vittime, vive o all'obitorio, e il luogo del ritrovamento, oltre al racconto minuto per minuto delle ultime ore di esistenza delle sventurate. Tutta gente proveniente dagli strati più sottoterra della società, prostitute anche occasionali che vagavano impavide(perchè ubriache) alle due di notte intorno a quelle tre/quattro strade dello Squartatore. Che mai più si capirà chi sia stato - forse forse un ebreo polacco, uno con un berretto floscio, magari un macellaio. Di certo c'è che all'epoca - e non solo per quanto riguarda la vicenda di Jack, c'era un grande interesse per gli uteri e i medici ne cercavano in grande quantità, anche andando contro la legge, freschi o in salamoia. Poi del gran sensazionalismo, una curiosità morbosa verso il sesso soffocata dai dettami della pudicizia vittoriana e una miseria quasi inumana. Bello per chi ci volesse fare una tesi sopra.
October 24, 2021
Non l'ho terminato, era noiosissimo.
December 15, 2025
Read for HIST 423:
This book, in and of itself was rather resourceful for what I needed it for. With that being said, there are a few things that I want to highlight. While the author seemed to be very knowledgeable about the subject, this auth was just providing information to no end. The information for the most part felt rather bland, while still be informational. I think what I am trying to say is that I really enjoyed the topic but I did not enjoy the writing style of this particular author. Going along with that, the way that the chapters were set up made no sense to me. There were a few that tied in one of the murders to the preceding or following chapter, but it kind of felt like the author was throwing in information just to throw it in. Most of it was background to make sure that the reader understand what was going on in context to the murders, but the order of the chapters did not make a lick of sense to me.
This book, in and of itself was rather resourceful for what I needed it for. With that being said, there are a few things that I want to highlight. While the author seemed to be very knowledgeable about the subject, this auth was just providing information to no end. The information for the most part felt rather bland, while still be informational. I think what I am trying to say is that I really enjoyed the topic but I did not enjoy the writing style of this particular author. Going along with that, the way that the chapters were set up made no sense to me. There were a few that tied in one of the murders to the preceding or following chapter, but it kind of felt like the author was throwing in information just to throw it in. Most of it was background to make sure that the reader understand what was going on in context to the murders, but the order of the chapters did not make a lick of sense to me.
December 28, 2008
This book distinguishes itself from the mass of Ripper scholarship by offering up a great deal more social and political context in an effort to explain why the Ripper story has endured and flowered in cultural consciousness. At least that’s what it says, and it’s mostly true -- between the chapters on each of the canonical Ripper victims there’s a wealth of material on police procedure and internal politics, the rise of the Victorian social conscience, and the explosive growth of the news media. It’s all thoroughly researched and logically presented, if a bit dully exhaustive at a few points, and there’s a refreshing lack of the ubiquitous Ripper conspiracies.
A good book, really, though I can’t help holding the oxymoronic title against it. Especially considering that from where I’m sitting, you simply cannot have a “definitive” discussion of a serial killer without ever even approaching the topic of psychology. Begg is only marginally more informed on criminal behavior than the police of 1888 were. He describes, for example, the controversy over the authenticity of the “dear boss” letters ostensibly written by the killer (who named himself Jack the Ripper in his signature) and sent to the papers. It’s a thorough discussion, but it completely overlooks the fact that the Ripper is a classic disorganized offender – impulsive, violent to the point of extreme overkill, opportunistic – and that his type is exactly the sort to write to the papers and otherwise inject himself into an investigation.
Anyway, griping aside, you can’t cover everything. The book does offer some fascinating discussions of issues vital to the time period, like the upper-class British response to the white slave trade in young girls and the slow groundswell of socialist feeling. The thesis is logical, and Begg does a pretty good job in describing the ripe hotbed of social unease in which the killings took place, though a bit less so regarding what it meant for the future of London's poor. And the recitation of the recoverable facts from the police investigations has a wonderfully charming familiarity, reminding me that the basic principles of investigation have and will remain the same over the centuries.
A good overview of the issues free from a lot of the Ripper hysterics and elaborate theories. It doesn’t entirely do what it set out to accomplish (Begg never accounts for the fact that Ripper-mania has really only flourished in the past fifty years, not endured straight through) and the writing is rather boring sometimes, but still worth it, if this is your thing.
A good book, really, though I can’t help holding the oxymoronic title against it. Especially considering that from where I’m sitting, you simply cannot have a “definitive” discussion of a serial killer without ever even approaching the topic of psychology. Begg is only marginally more informed on criminal behavior than the police of 1888 were. He describes, for example, the controversy over the authenticity of the “dear boss” letters ostensibly written by the killer (who named himself Jack the Ripper in his signature) and sent to the papers. It’s a thorough discussion, but it completely overlooks the fact that the Ripper is a classic disorganized offender – impulsive, violent to the point of extreme overkill, opportunistic – and that his type is exactly the sort to write to the papers and otherwise inject himself into an investigation.
Anyway, griping aside, you can’t cover everything. The book does offer some fascinating discussions of issues vital to the time period, like the upper-class British response to the white slave trade in young girls and the slow groundswell of socialist feeling. The thesis is logical, and Begg does a pretty good job in describing the ripe hotbed of social unease in which the killings took place, though a bit less so regarding what it meant for the future of London's poor. And the recitation of the recoverable facts from the police investigations has a wonderfully charming familiarity, reminding me that the basic principles of investigation have and will remain the same over the centuries.
A good overview of the issues free from a lot of the Ripper hysterics and elaborate theories. It doesn’t entirely do what it set out to accomplish (Begg never accounts for the fact that Ripper-mania has really only flourished in the past fifty years, not endured straight through) and the writing is rather boring sometimes, but still worth it, if this is your thing.
June 19, 2016
This account is by a notable researcher and author so you'd expect top notch. Sadly I can't muster more than 3 stars because I found it boring.
I'm very familiar with the Whitechapel Murders and own about 25 books on the subject. This not a bad book by any means but it's a tiring read. Yes, the social and political history leading up to the late 1880s is highly pertinent in setting the scene and in explaining the terrible conditions (physical and psychological) that many East Enders found themsleves living in.
In a murder story we want the author to be incisive, to cut to the chase. Begg doesn't do that but rambles on about the sorry relationship between government ministers and senior police officials.
For a more concise yet highly readable account which still touches on the social and the political, look no further than Sugden.
I'm very familiar with the Whitechapel Murders and own about 25 books on the subject. This not a bad book by any means but it's a tiring read. Yes, the social and political history leading up to the late 1880s is highly pertinent in setting the scene and in explaining the terrible conditions (physical and psychological) that many East Enders found themsleves living in.
In a murder story we want the author to be incisive, to cut to the chase. Begg doesn't do that but rambles on about the sorry relationship between government ministers and senior police officials.
For a more concise yet highly readable account which still touches on the social and the political, look no further than Sugden.
December 27, 2015
Begg can't bring himself to let go of Sir Melville Macnaghten and especially not of Sir Robert Anderson, despite the fact that neither one of them stacks up well when you stop and think it over. This book has some very good chapters on the social history surrounding the murders--although his chapters on the murders themselves aren't as well-organized as Rumbelow's (Jack the Ripper: The Complete Casebook)--and I give him credit for keeping the theories about the murderer out of the discussion of the murders. But I find his hobby horse frustrating.
May 7, 2019
E' un libro completo, molto particolare. Intervalla la storia di Jack lo Squartatore con elementi che spiegano il tempo ed i luoghi degli eventi. Un capitolo sull'East End ed un capitolo su Mary Jane Kelly, un capitolo sul popolo dell'East End ed uno su Catherine Eddowes, ecc. Insomma è diverso dai soliti libri sullo Squartatore perchè racconta anche del tempo e dello stile di vita di quei tempi, coniugando il tutto con le vicende storiche di Jack.
February 11, 2010
A relaying of the Whitechapel murders but put into their historical and sociological context. Begg doesn't rely on the sensationalism of other Ripper authors to convey the story. Interesting as a study of the late Victorians and not just the Ripper case.
July 11, 2023
Bardzo dobre opracowanie, tylko zastanawiam się, czy ono faktycznie było o Kubie Rozpruwaczu. Czytałem, początek dosłownie wymęczyłem, autor rzuca w nas nazwami uliczek, miejsc, do których nie ma załączonej nawet małej mapki poglądowej, przez co ciężko w ogóle zrozumieć, co gdzie jest. Zaczęło się robić ciekawie, a jak, od pierwszego morderstwa, które nie zostało Kubie przypisane, ot brutalne morderstwo, które niejako zaczęło całą falę.
Tak jak wspominałem wyżej, samego zabójcy tutaj mało, zdarzały się kilkudziesięciostronicowe rozdziały, które dotyczyły wyłącznie policji - nie dokładnie tego, jak działali i co robili dla sprawy. Wyciągnięto kilka nazwisk wysoko postawionych przedstawicieli prawa i przedstawiono na ich temat suche fakty, jakie mają poglądy, z kim wchodzili w utarczki.
Książka nawet ciekawa jeżeli ktoś chce się dowiedzieć czegoś o życiu w Londynie w XIXw., ale żeby zagłębić się w te zbrodnie Kuby Rozpruwacza potrzeba ogromnej cierpliwości i przede wszystkim chęci. Niemniej polecam.
Tak jak wspominałem wyżej, samego zabójcy tutaj mało, zdarzały się kilkudziesięciostronicowe rozdziały, które dotyczyły wyłącznie policji - nie dokładnie tego, jak działali i co robili dla sprawy. Wyciągnięto kilka nazwisk wysoko postawionych przedstawicieli prawa i przedstawiono na ich temat suche fakty, jakie mają poglądy, z kim wchodzili w utarczki.
Książka nawet ciekawa jeżeli ktoś chce się dowiedzieć czegoś o życiu w Londynie w XIXw., ale żeby zagłębić się w te zbrodnie Kuby Rozpruwacza potrzeba ogromnej cierpliwości i przede wszystkim chęci. Niemniej polecam.
December 24, 2025
Libro che non mantiene le promesse. Di Jack lo Squartatore e dei suoi crimini viene detto poco, concentrandosi per la maggior parte sulla descrizione del "contesto" della Londra vittoriana in cui operò. In sintesi, la protagonista è la città, raccontata in maniera a tratti disordinata e dispersiva, ma le indagini relative a uno degli assini più famosi della Storia diventano loro il contorno.
Un'occasione persa.
Un'occasione persa.
October 3, 2020
An excellent historical work - detailed, cited, organized. It doesn't read like a novel, but who says a historical book should? It was not sensationalized, and provided enough detail to explain what was happening. There were also chapters on the environment, such as the East End of London, and the bureaucracy of the London police, and of the numerous newspapers.
June 17, 2019
One of the clearest, least speculation based analyses of the Ripper crimes I've encountered. It's always refreshing to encounter a Ripper writer who is trying to focus on the facts, not twist them to push a pet theory.
May 10, 2024
An exceptionally interesting book. It not only relates the history of the Ripper murders but explains why they became so important and why we still care about them. It investigates the major suspects and provides info for and against them. A very informative book.
August 30, 2021
To coś zatytułowane "Kuba Rozpruwacz nadaje się tylko na podtrzymanie ognia w kominku.
March 8, 2022
Too much Political Jargon. Didn't expect a lesson on the evolution of England...
January 15, 2023
Molto dettagliato, ma molto noioso
January 12, 2024
w sumie czytałam to ostatni raz pod koniec podstawówki i powiem wam, że muszę to przeczytać jeszcze raz żeby zweryfikować czy to faktycznie było tak dobre jak pamiętam
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February 17, 2024DNF…seems like there is a lot of focus on the police and their issues at the time, and on locations and the issues there. I wanted to learn about suspects and victims. Idk….
March 8, 2025
Confuso e confusionario
I primi capitoli, sulla storia dell'East End e sulla situazione politica inglese e della polizia di Londra nel 1888, sono lunghi, ripetitivi e confusi. Peccato, perché l'idea di spiegare l'impatto dei delitti di Jack the Ripper presentando anche il contesto ambientale e sociale è davvero buona.
Purtroppo, sono praticamente solo congetture: non c'è modo di trovare una soluzione ai delitti e, alla fine della fiera, sembra di aver letto solo aria fritta. Tuttavia, le ipotesi sono interessanti, così come le foto post mortem al termine del libro sono sconvolgenti: dopo aver visto quella di Mary Jane Kelly, l'ultima vittima, gli omicidi di JtR non sono più solo un'idea astratta ma, nella mia mente, ora sono veri e tangibili. E sono la cosa più orribile che abbia mai visto...
Il libro presenta note a fine capitolo, un inserto fotografico ma nessuna bibliografia.
L'autore partecipa alla puntata su JtR di Unsolved Misteries, Netflix.
I primi capitoli, sulla storia dell'East End e sulla situazione politica inglese e della polizia di Londra nel 1888, sono lunghi, ripetitivi e confusi. Peccato, perché l'idea di spiegare l'impatto dei delitti di Jack the Ripper presentando anche il contesto ambientale e sociale è davvero buona.
Purtroppo, sono praticamente solo congetture: non c'è modo di trovare una soluzione ai delitti e, alla fine della fiera, sembra di aver letto solo aria fritta. Tuttavia, le ipotesi sono interessanti, così come le foto post mortem al termine del libro sono sconvolgenti: dopo aver visto quella di Mary Jane Kelly, l'ultima vittima, gli omicidi di JtR non sono più solo un'idea astratta ma, nella mia mente, ora sono veri e tangibili. E sono la cosa più orribile che abbia mai visto...
Il libro presenta note a fine capitolo, un inserto fotografico ma nessuna bibliografia.
L'autore partecipa alla puntata su JtR di Unsolved Misteries, Netflix.
January 22, 2015
A refreshing look at the Jack the Ripper killings that sets them into context with the political and social events of the time, including the increasing awareness and objection to the plight of British girls sold into prostitution in Europe and the subsequent change in attitude to prostitution as a whole. Between the chapters on the Ripper's victims Begg describes the changing political scene of the time, the changes in attitudes towards the working classes as a whole and toward prostitution specifically and the failures of the police investigation into these and other crimes.
Begg resists the temptation to discuss the many conspiracy theories concerning the identity of the Ripper instead focusing on the four main suspects of the time, providing evidence for and against and allowing the reader to make up their own mind (which is somewhat refreshing when it comes to Jack). He also discusses some of the more popular other suspects including Prince Albert Victor, and once again gives evidence for and against (with the evidence against far exceeding the evidence for in most of these). The only thing missing from this work is a discussion on the pyschology of the killer, however had this been included it may have clouded the issue further, as these kind of pyschological profiles are only based on the information available, which in this case is conflicting at best.
Begg resists the temptation to discuss the many conspiracy theories concerning the identity of the Ripper instead focusing on the four main suspects of the time, providing evidence for and against and allowing the reader to make up their own mind (which is somewhat refreshing when it comes to Jack). He also discusses some of the more popular other suspects including Prince Albert Victor, and once again gives evidence for and against (with the evidence against far exceeding the evidence for in most of these). The only thing missing from this work is a discussion on the pyschology of the killer, however had this been included it may have clouded the issue further, as these kind of pyschological profiles are only based on the information available, which in this case is conflicting at best.
March 29, 2022
Il grande mistero vittoriano: chi era Jack the Ripper, lo squartatore?
Questo mistero verrà mai risolto?
All'epoca 5 furono i maggiori sospettati: Montagne John Druit, Michael Ostrog, Severin Klosowski, Francis Tumblety e Kosminski. Quest'ultimo, il maggior sospettato , fu internato in un manicomio. La causa della sua pazzia risulta essere dai referti medici, il risultato di anni di masturbazione. Oggi questa cosa fa sorridere e indignare, ma in quegli anni lo si credeva veramente.😱
Leggere questo libro è stato un parto travagliato. Sono partita gasata, avevo alte aspettative perché l'argomento mi affascinava, ma fatemelo dire " che noia"....
Il libro fa parte del calendario #diariodiunassassinoseriale il gruppo di lettura dedicata ai serial killer, beh in pochi siamo riusciti a leggerlo tutto.
È un saggio non sulla figura di Jack ma sulla Londra di quel periodo e lo stile dell'autore è molto lento. Riporta trafiletti di giornale e i verbali della polizia.
Le mie aspettative purtroppo sono state deluse.
Ho trovato molto più interessante un documentario.
Vi lascio con due piccole curiosità: la prima è che tra i sospettati c'era pure il nipote della regina Vittoria; la seconda è che la lettera di Jack conservata allo Scotland Museum in realtà fu scritta da un giornalista.
Questo mistero verrà mai risolto?
All'epoca 5 furono i maggiori sospettati: Montagne John Druit, Michael Ostrog, Severin Klosowski, Francis Tumblety e Kosminski. Quest'ultimo, il maggior sospettato , fu internato in un manicomio. La causa della sua pazzia risulta essere dai referti medici, il risultato di anni di masturbazione. Oggi questa cosa fa sorridere e indignare, ma in quegli anni lo si credeva veramente.😱
Leggere questo libro è stato un parto travagliato. Sono partita gasata, avevo alte aspettative perché l'argomento mi affascinava, ma fatemelo dire " che noia"....
Il libro fa parte del calendario #diariodiunassassinoseriale il gruppo di lettura dedicata ai serial killer, beh in pochi siamo riusciti a leggerlo tutto.
È un saggio non sulla figura di Jack ma sulla Londra di quel periodo e lo stile dell'autore è molto lento. Riporta trafiletti di giornale e i verbali della polizia.
Le mie aspettative purtroppo sono state deluse.
Ho trovato molto più interessante un documentario.
Vi lascio con due piccole curiosità: la prima è che tra i sospettati c'era pure il nipote della regina Vittoria; la seconda è che la lettera di Jack conservata allo Scotland Museum in realtà fu scritta da un giornalista.
September 10, 2016
Well, it's definitely most complete account of social, historical and cultural context in Jack the Ripper killings. Truly fascinating!
And most scientific approach to the topic that really is impressive if you take into account how many people are still looking at Ripper's case for sensationalism.
And most scientific approach to the topic that really is impressive if you take into account how many people are still looking at Ripper's case for sensationalism.
August 25, 2024
Tralascio il fatto che la mia copia del libro, per un errore di impaginazione, è rimasta mutilata - è il caso di dirlo - dell'ultima pagina del penultimo capitolo e di tutto l'ultimo, cosa che mi ha infastidito non poco.
Per quanto riguarda i contenuti dell'indagine svolta dall'autore, se da un lato ci troviamo davanti a un compito svolto con il massimo zelo e la massima precisione, dall'altro sono proprio tali digressioni a spezzare un po' il ritmo. Il libro è strutturato alternando i capitoli sugli omicidi veri e proprio ad altri capitoli "di contorno" che forniscono un vivido spaccato della storia del famigerato East End di Londra, soffermandosi anche sulle metodologie messe in pratica dalla polizia dell'epoca, sui personaggi di spicco incaricati delle indagini sullo Squartatore, e di vari aspetti sociologici relativi al melting pot estremamente eterogeneo che viveva in quel quartiere della Londra Vittoriana.
Ciò detto, si tratta di una lettura sicuramente godibile e stimolante per chi sia appassionato dell'argomento, contraddistinta da una ricostruzione rigorosa e priva di audaci picchi inventivi tesi a creare hype a discapito della verità, o di quanto più le si avvicina.
Per quanto riguarda i contenuti dell'indagine svolta dall'autore, se da un lato ci troviamo davanti a un compito svolto con il massimo zelo e la massima precisione, dall'altro sono proprio tali digressioni a spezzare un po' il ritmo. Il libro è strutturato alternando i capitoli sugli omicidi veri e proprio ad altri capitoli "di contorno" che forniscono un vivido spaccato della storia del famigerato East End di Londra, soffermandosi anche sulle metodologie messe in pratica dalla polizia dell'epoca, sui personaggi di spicco incaricati delle indagini sullo Squartatore, e di vari aspetti sociologici relativi al melting pot estremamente eterogeneo che viveva in quel quartiere della Londra Vittoriana.
Ciò detto, si tratta di una lettura sicuramente godibile e stimolante per chi sia appassionato dell'argomento, contraddistinta da una ricostruzione rigorosa e priva di audaci picchi inventivi tesi a creare hype a discapito della verità, o di quanto più le si avvicina.
January 9, 2011
This, my second foray into the facts of Jack the Ripper, was not as readable as the first.
Don't get me wrong, the book had to have been meticulously researched and contained a wealth of ALL MANNER of knowledge from and about Whitechapel in the 1880s. But I think that was just it. I think the book strayed too far from the topic of the actual Ripper murders to hold someone's attention who is just getting into the whole subject and wants examinations of the cold facts.
Bottom line: This book is great at examining a lot of social, political, and cultural aspects of the time period and the area of the Ripper murders, but bogs down the person just looking for an examination of said murders.
Don't get me wrong, the book had to have been meticulously researched and contained a wealth of ALL MANNER of knowledge from and about Whitechapel in the 1880s. But I think that was just it. I think the book strayed too far from the topic of the actual Ripper murders to hold someone's attention who is just getting into the whole subject and wants examinations of the cold facts.
Bottom line: This book is great at examining a lot of social, political, and cultural aspects of the time period and the area of the Ripper murders, but bogs down the person just looking for an examination of said murders.
March 12, 2011
I picked up this book because I was going to visit a friend in London who lives in the Spitalfields/Whitechapel area of East London, which is where all the JTR events took place. The book was more than a re-telling of the gruesome events in the fall of 1888. He provided not only a great history of East London but also a detailed backdrop of London society (good and bad) at the time.
The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars is that he's pretty long-winded and almost too much so for my taste in certain parts. If I had not been visiting this particular area of London, I probably would have found it tedious to read.
All in all, a fascinating read for anyone interested in true crime, Victorian history or JTR in general. Enjoy!
The only thing that kept me from giving it 5 stars is that he's pretty long-winded and almost too much so for my taste in certain parts. If I had not been visiting this particular area of London, I probably would have found it tedious to read.
All in all, a fascinating read for anyone interested in true crime, Victorian history or JTR in general. Enjoy!
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July 25, 2011The G.B. Memorial has been condemned as unfit to use . I t was built as a memorial to the men who died in the 1 AND 2 World Wars but was not pooperely mantained as it should have been . That is where I have been borrowing my books since I retired . It may never open again as it was before , it was in a very poor location as it was . It may be relocated to another building in the town . So I have to look for another source for my reading material . My brother as a good collection of books in his library so I may go and borrow from him for the time being .
May 18, 2011
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I guess this delivers exactly what the title says it will: an almost painfully detailed history of the Ripper slayings and every socio-economic, political and historic tidbit that can be even vaguely appended to them. The author provides a history of London's East End back to the Early Medieval era, contending that that piece of geography had always had a troubled history.I was hoping for some sort of new or alternate theories but none were forthcoming.
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